Blinken wraps up Central Asia tour before G20 talks in India

By The Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up a brief tour of Central Asia in Uzbekistan before heading to India for what is expected to be a contentious Ukraine-dominated meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20. Blinken met Wednesday in Tashkent with senior Uzbek officials a day after warning his counterparts from all five Central Asian nations about the dangers posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Speaking before talks with Uzbekistan’s acting foreign minister, Blinken said he believed the United States and Central Asia share concerns about Ukraine, although the former Soviet states have toed a delicate line when it comes to taking a firm position on condemning Russia for the war.